"[House Bill 1], the House [Democrats’] priority … They say they care, yet the first thing it would do … cut 46,000 people from the current plan … It truly will," a user named "@SAM1963" wrote.

The rejoinder, from a user called "@billkdr," came quickly: "This is false. Existing adultBasic enrollees would automatically transfer into program. Coverage is uninterrupted."

In case you're wondering, "SAM1963," is the online handle for Steve Miskin, the chief spokesman for House Minority Leader Sam Smith, R-Jefferson.

And "billkdr" is the Nom de Web of Bill Thomas, a press aide to House Majority Leader Todd Eachus, D-Luzerne.

And as the debate over the state budget heats up, the warring House factions have opened a second front on Twitter -- one 140-word post at a time.

Of the two sides, Miskin is an inveterate Twitterer, firing off "tweets" on a variety of subjects with astonishing regularity.

"Rendell says he won't rely on "gimmicks" to fund his budget … Is he kidding? Does anyone ever question his words," goes one typically partisan Miskin posting.

Miskin said he's mostly trying to reach journalists with his posts - a tactic he claims is effective because he's since been contacted by curious political reporters.

As for his sparring with the Democrats, "For me, and I can only assume for them, it's good natured."But it has worked because you're clearing seeing [the differences between] the two sides," he said. "When you read the back-and-forth, there is a mini-debate going on."

Eachus’ chief spokesman, Brett Marcy (@bMarcy75) is slightly more sparing in his use of the massively popular social networking site that allows users to post their thoughts on whatever subject catches their fancy.

One recent post by Marcy, who worked as a newspaper reporter before jumping to the public relations side of the fence, urged his online "followers" to watch a video feed of a meeting of the state House Appropriations Committee.

Like Miskin, Marcy said he sees Twitter as an extension of the Democrats' media operation. And he recognizes that he's targeting a specialized audience.

"It is a way for us to reinforce our message," he said.

Three of the four legislative caucuses each have their own, official Twitter pages - the Senate Republicans are the lone hold-outs.

And only House aides Miskin, Marcy and Thomas engage in direct, rhetorical sparring.

Marcy said Democrats use their personal accounts to launch rhetorical broadsides. The caucus’ official page, he said, is business-only.

Bob Caton, the spokesman for state House Speaker Keith McCall, D-Carbon, is also an habitual Twitterer. And he frequently dives into the tete-a-tetes between the caucus spokesmen.

Jack Shafer, a media critic with the online magazine, Slate, guesses that the shine may soon go off the Twitter apple as it becomes just another arrow in the average spin doctor's quiver.

"My guess is that, like e-mail spin, which is a relatively new development in the propaganda wars, that Twitter spin will be normalized in short order by its practitioners and its intended audience--the press," Shafer said. "The more conversation the better. I say."